Argentina legend says Messi's Golden Ball win was "unfair" and
should have gone to Colombia's James Rodriguez

Lionel Messi was not the best player at the World Cup and the Argentine won Fifa's Golden Ball award for marketing reasons, says Diego Maradona.

A dejected Messi picked up the gong for outstanding player of the tournament minutes after Mario Gotze's extra-time winner condemned Argentina to defeat in the World Cup final.

"I would give heaven and earth to Leo, but when marketing people want him to win something he didn't (deserve to) win, it is unfair," said Maradona, the winner of the Golden Ball when Argentina won the World Cup in 1986.

"I could see that he didn't want to go up and collect it (the award)."

Messi scored four goals in Brazil, all of them coming in the group stages of the competition. The Barcelona man missed a glorious chance to put Argentina ahead at the Maracana in the second-half, capping off a disappointing run of matches in the late stages of the competition.